I. Snorri Sturluson’s Murder (Íslendinga saga, 151. kafli) 29224 = Gizurr kom í Reykjaholt um nóttina eftir Mauritíusmessu. 20587 = Brutu þeir upp skemmuna, er Snorri svaf í. 32733 = En hann hljóp upp ok ór skemmunni í in litlu húsin, er váru við skemmuna. 19023 = Fann hann þar Arnbjörn prest ok talaði við […]
Background The Tragedie of Hamlet – A Footnote to Plato¹ Many years ago I suggested to my friend, the late Einar Pálsson (author of Rætur íslenzkra menningar – The Roots of Icelandic Culture) that the single most famous phrase in the works of Shakespeare – To be, or not to be; that is the question […]
Hamlet’s Mill – An Essay on Myth and the Frame of Time (Giorgio de Santillana) This is meant to be only an essay. It is a first reconnaissance of a realm well-nigh unexplored and uncharted. From whichever way one enters it, one is caught in the same bewildering circular complexity, as in a labyrinth, for […]
I. Hetjan Sturla Þórðarson. (Sturlu þáttr, 2. k.) 12008 = Gaf konungi eigi at sigla þann dag. 23333 = En um kveldit, áðr hann fór at sofa, lét hann kalla á Sturlu. 18842 = Ok er hann kom, kvaddi hann konung ok mælti síðan: 10731 = „Hvat vilið þér mér, herra?” 16594 = Konungr bað […]
Introduction Joseph Cambell The figure of the tyrant-monster is known to the mythologies, folk traditions, legends, and even nightmares, of the world; and his characteristics are everywhere essentially the same. He is the hoarder of the general benefit. He is the monster avid for the greedy rights of “my and mine.” The havoc wrought by […]
1. Goðsögn Njálu I (Njála, 100. k.) 12685 = Höfðingjaskipti varð í Nóregi. 13112 = Hákon jarl var liðinn undir lok, 16425 = en kominn í staðinn Óláfr Tryggvason. 13917 = Urðu þau ævilok Hákonar jarls, 19696 = at Karkr þræll skar hann á háls á Rimul í Gaulardal. 22012 = Þat spurðisk þar með, […]
I. The Angel interpreteth… (Summary, Matt. Ch. I. King James Bible, 1611.) 19160 = The genealogie of Christ from Abraham to Ioseph. 15094 = Hee was conceiued by the holy Ghost, 11108 = and borne of the Virgin Mary 17054 = when she was espoused to Ioseph. 24249 = The Angel satisfieth the misdeeming thoughts […]
I. Then said Iesus vnto his disciples (Matthew 16:24-28, King James Bible 1611) 16638 = Then said Iesus vnto his disciples, 19428 = If any man will come after me, let him denie himselfe, 15967 = and take vp his crosse, and follow me. 23087 = For whosoeuer will saue his life, shall lose […]